The night they met... again [come on in Dessie!]

[Codie Marshall]

Codie was nervous. There were two things that made her feel that way as she walked casually through the park late that night, the wind blowing through her hair. Talking to Desmond the first time since walking out on him at the bookstore was one thing, explaining to him why and hoping for forgiveness was another. She'd received a message on her phone to meet him in the park and it was exactly what she was going to do. She gently pulled her jacket tighter, hugging her body as she tried to keep warm. The weather was something she was going to have to get used to, having grown up majority of her life in Cali, but the thought of spending her life with Desmond... even if it did happen to be somewhere a little cooler was OK with her. Generally the weather never bothered her anyway being a werewolf. but for some reason that night, whether it be just her nerves playing up, she felt the cool air a little more than usual.

Codie couldn't help but notice him. Sitting there. On the park bench waiting for her. He looked more perfect than ever before. Perhaps it was because she hadn't seen him in what felt like forever... or perhaps it was because he actually was perfect. Everything about him attracted Codie, it drew her in, like a whirlpool of excitement. The only thing that stood in her way was the Vampire factor. The two of them weren't supposed to be together, they both knew that, but yet why did it feel so right whenever she was around him? As she moved closer to him she picked up the familiar scent of vampire, she knew where it was coming from this time. It was Desmond. This time though, she didn't care so much... being near him again was too important to her and traveling as far as she did, she wasn't going to turn back now.

As she reached the bench she sat down quietly next to him. Codie couldn't help but feel the whole essay of words she had prepared to say to him had left her mind before she even had a chance to re-read it. Not able to make eye contact at that particular time as her shy side had indeed come out to play again, she looked up at the stars as if studying each one. It was one of the things Codie loved to do, at least on a night when a full moon wasn't out. It was a beautiful sight. She couldn't help but wonder what was going through his head at that moment in time. Why did he want her to run away with him after everything that had happened? she found it hard to fight the urge to look at him as she felt her face, particularly her cheeks fluster. He always had that effect on her. No other Vampire had ever made her feel that way which often made her wonder why.

[*Desmond Everard]

Love. Such a simple looking word unleashes a plethora of oxymoronic adjectives upon any soul who allows themself to become entangled in its amorous arms. One is swept up willingly by love and its chaotic orderliness, its irrational rationality, and its impossible possibility of existence. Desmond had become yet another casualty of love and its nonsensical games. He had fallen in love with a werewolf. Codie now consumed his every thought like a forest fire, greedily growing in size and intensity. It didn’t make sense that he should love what he was bred to hate, however, rationality is a useless weapon against love. He no longer cared about how or why he loved Codie. The only thing that mattered was that he did indeed love her and would continue to do so for as long as time existed.

It was a beautiful night in the park. The sky was clear allowing the stars to shine brilliantly for him to see and the air was clean but cold. Desmond sat alone on a small park bench at the top of a little hill, lost in his thoughts of Codie. The wind nipped at his eternally cold skin relentlessly but Desmond was far from chilly. This newfound love had brought warmth to his heart for the first time in his entire life. Codie was his first love. He had been walking this world for over 70 years and never encountered love.............until now. He had sent Codie a message to meet him here tonight and he hoped she would. It had been weeks since he last met with her and he needed to see her again………especially after how their last date ended. She had walked unceremoniously out of his life that night without much of an explanation. Hopefully tonight she would find her way back to him and perhaps bring some answers to why she had left with her.

Desmond breathed in the cool air and couldn’t contain a smile as the smell of poodle reached his nostrils. She followed me. She actually came for me. He resisted the urge to turn and look at her as he heard her footsteps slowly get louder and closer. Pure bliss ignited within him to know that she was here with him, merely a few feet away. He turned his attention to the stars as she sat beside him on the park bench. Neither one spoke for several moments but it was a comfortable silence. Together they gazed at the stars, each lost in their own thoughts. Desmond had not looked at her face since she had arrived. He knew once he merely glanced at her perfect features he would become further lost in love just as he was the first day he laid eyes on her. Codie had brought him life, she had become his life. All the curses of being what he was no longer seemed to exist. He no longer felt cold when he had the fires of her love to warm him. She stole the breath from him that vampires were not supposed to have. His heart that had been left dormant for so long seemed to beat once again. He noticed from the corner of his eye as she stole glances at him and he couldn’t resist stealing a few of his own. She truly was beautiful. Every line and curve of her body radiated perfection as her eyes echoed their own form of beauty.

Desmond wondered what was going on inside of her head as they sat together. He wasn’t sure if she was lost in the same snare of love that he was………she had after all walked out on him the last time. He wanted to embrace her and tell her how happy he was to see her here with him but he still was unsure where her feelings laid. She had come all this way so that had to mean something, right? he thought to himself, trying to convince himself that she did indeed love him as he loved her. Desmond was the first to finally speak and did so in his usual joking tone. “You’re a long way from Kansas Toto.” He smiled at her as he became lost in her gorgeous eyes. It felt like the first time they met. A long time passed since they last spoke and this was the night where they would start over. Tonight was the night where they would fall in love again. Tonight was the night they would promise to never leave each other. Tonight was the night they met……………..again.

[Codie Marshall]

She'd been lost in her own sea of thoughts as Desmond broke the silence between them with one of his sarcastic lines. A smile formed on her face as she finally turned to look at the guy she'd left her old life for. She missed him for that, it had been a long time since anyone made her smile the way he did even though her life consisted of the perfect family. The family she'd left behind to start a new, a life with Desmond. " I missed you" she spoke softly but honestly as she was yet again, just like the first day she met him, mesmerized by Desmond's looks and his charm. Codie knew that tonight she had alot of explaining to do, she at the very least owed Desmond that. He deserved to know. Codie tore her eyes away from him as she looked back up at the stars, " I needed to see you again" she spoke before turning her attention back to him, it was difficult for her to find the words to say but deep in her heart she knew she loved him and only hoped he felt the same way.

" What I did to you-" she went on looking straight into his beautiful eyes, "-there's no reason for you to forgive me. I never wanted to hurt you... I was afraid I would. It's difficult for me, being a werewolf I don't always have control of what I do. I know that's no excuse for leaving you the way I did and to be honest despite how much I feel for you I knew that I needed to leave it at that but-" Codie looked back up at the stars as she sighed deeply, she was never good at explaining herself, "-the letter you left me... The very fact that no matter where I am or who I'm with. I'm always thinking of you." Looking back at Desmond she couldn't help but smile at him. He was too perfect. Codie yet again for abouth the 100th time during her speech turned her attention yet again to the gorgeous starry night above as she sighed softly, " I dream of you. Since the day we first met you've been on my mind all the time... I can't think of anything else"

Codie had been focused on the stars to explain how she felt. Oddly she didn't find it as difficult telling him how she truly felt for him. Perhaps it was the fact that deep down she knew that he must feel for her some way, why else would he leave such a beautiful letter for her to find or ask her to run away with him. Codie slowly moved a little closer to him, the smell of vampire was quite strong but she knew how she felt about him and this time it definitely wasn't going to change that. Gently she rested her head on his shoulder, it was perhaps the closest she'd ever got to Desmond... and she liked it. " I'm sorry Desmond" she whispered as she looked back up at the stars again, awaiting him to either forgive her or leave her the way she did to him before. Perhaps that was something she felt she deserved.

[*Desmond Everard]

His sarcastic remark had evoked the gorgeous smile he loved so well to sprawl across her face. He displayed his own crooked smile moments later at her words ‘I missed you.’ That was all he needed to hear, all he had wanted to hear from her………the rest didn’t matter. Simply to know she had needed him like he needed her was all he ever could ask for. “I’ve missed you like hell Lassie.” He was going to say something else but she delved into an explanation about everything………….not that he was complaining……….it was nice to know that she loved him as he did her……….but the rest was just details. The only important thing was that she cared about him.

Desmond grinned widely as she went on and on about how she had feelings for him and was sorry for leaving him. She paused a moment as she stayed focused on the stars above. He however was too preoccupied with her too give the stars a second look. He watched her admiringly as she silently gazed up at the night sky that stretched endlessly above them. He finally broke the silence again with a chuckle before replying teasingly. “You dream of me? That’s not very fair………..I never sleep, so I don’t get that privilege.” He laughed heartily at the irony of it all before adding more to his comment. “However if I COULD dream………it would be of you and only you Codie Marshall.” Truthfully though Desmond had something better than a dream……….he had reality. Codie Marshall truly loved him and the good thing about not having to ever sleep is the knowing that no matter what happens it is never a dream, knowing that he would never have to pinch himself to know it is real, knowing that Codie Marshall was deeply in love with him. That was reality and he would choose that over dreams without a moment’s hesitation.

Codie leaned closer to him and the already pungent smell of dog grew even stronger but Desmond didn’t mind. He was pleasantly surprised when she laid her head on his shoulder. He instinctively put an arm around her and delicately stroked the smooth skin of her shoulder with his hand. It was an odd reaction as his icy cold hands met with her hot body temperature. The two seemed to cancel each other out as he cooled her warmth and she warmed his coldness. Steam softly rose from wherever he would touch her from the combination of the contrasting temperature of their bodies. He chuckled at the sight of the steam rising off her body. “See, I told you that you were smoking hot love.” He held her closer as he once again looked up at the stars above. She had apologized again to him and he laughed nonchalantly. “All you had to say was ‘I Love You Desmond.’ The rest didn’t matter Codie. I forgive you.”

Desmond was lost in this moment and never wanted it to end. He had eternity on his side and nothing would have been better than spending it as they were at this moment………lying with each other beneath a beautiful night sky, wrapped in each other’s arms. Just then a shooting star shot across the sky, its tail gleaming brilliantly behind as it left a shimmering trail in the air. Desmond gave Codie a soft squeeze as he gestured to the star. “Make a wish Codie.” He looked down upon his own wish come true as he realized the only thing he had left to wish for was Codie’s happiness and for their love to last forever. Desmond would forever be in love with Codie till the end of time and when a vampire says forever…………he’s serious.

[Codie Marshall]

She couldn't help but laugh a little at Desmond as he mentioned about not dreaming, Codie had forgotten that Vampires never slept, she'd always had the image of them at the very least sleeping during the day. " You can always have the pleasure of watching me dream" she joked. Desmond had been the first Vampire Codie had ever met and he fascinated her, everything about him pulled her in even more. She truly felt that Desmond was perfect for her, even if the two of them weren't supposed to be together. Rules were meant to be broken she thought. Her laugh had turned into a bright smile as he mentioned if he could dream it'd be of her. Desmond had won Codie's heart through and through, there was no denying it. She was his for as long as she lived.

Codie closed her eyes as Desmond wrapped an arm around her, stroking her arm softly with his hand. His cold hand may have made her body steam but to her his touch was as warm as a summers day, it meant everything, it made her feel so much warmer on the inside, melting her heart as it skipped a beat at his closeness. A smile spread across her face again as he told her she was smoking hot although she never budged, wanting to stay this close to Desmond forever. " Is this the part where my leg is supposed to go a hundred miles per hour?" she asked him, playing on his humor with one of her own. Codie enjoyed the fact the two of them not only shared their love for each other, but also shared a similar sense in humor. It was then that Desmond had said what she had only hoped... he forgave her. She wanted to repeat what he said she should've said but decided to wait... she wanted to say it at the perfect time and didn't want him to think she was joking when she said it.

By this time she'd opened her eyes once more, soon enough to see the shotting star fly across the sky in all its beauty. Codie felt a soft squeeze as Desmond spoke to her to make a wish. By that time she already had. Being with Desmond was all she could ever wish for. Codie raised her head, looking at him with complete and utter love in her eyes, " so, what did my Desmond wish for?" she asked him softly. She couldn't believe she'd traveled as far as she did for a man, after everything she'd been through she had promised herself she'd never get hurt like that again. But Desmond was different and not only in the walking dead sense... he looked at her with the same adoring eyes that she posed upon him. He loved her and deep down she knew he'd never hurt her. Codie smiled warmly as she allowed her hand to touch his face gently before adding playfully, " you know... you still owe me a kiss". The first day they met, Codie had tried to give Desmond a kiss only to have him back down unexpectedly. It often played a part on her mind even though she knew it was probably the scent that turned him off. It was strange that despite each other hating the scent of the other, it was getting to the point where they'd possibly rather die than live without each other... that's if that feeling wasn't already there. Codie's love for Desmond was growing, with each day passing and she knew she never wanted to live another day without him.

[*Desmond Everard]

Desmond laughed aloud as Codie retaliated against his sarcastic humor with a joke of her own. The ridiculous image of Codie kicking her leg as he scratched her belly played in his head causing him to laugh even more heartily than he already had been. Codie’s sense of humor was one of the very many traits that were on the list of things he loved about her. He was always pleasantly surprised at her ability to fire off a sarcastic line so quickly in response to one of his own. No one kept him on his toes like Codie did and it was exciting to him. He had missed that about her and was unequivocally glad that she was here with him now.

He flashed his pearly whites as she asked what he had wished for. He was beaming with joy over the way she had said ‘MY Desmond.’ He couldn’t believe that only a couple months ago he never even knew of Codie and now he couldn’t imagine going through life (or in his case afterlife) without her. For over 70 years he had never felt love and then within a month’s time he was now completely immersed in it. He had heard all about love from poets, novels, and movies but he had thought it was all just a fairytale construed solely to give people hope and purpose in life. If it wasn’t for Codie he would still be ignorant to the intensity and very real existence of love. He would be sitting on this park bench and looking up at the stars alone as the lonely skeptic who never was loved. Codie had rescued him from that loveless world and colored his life with the pastels of love. She had defined love for him. She was his definition of love. He looked over to her as he told her what he wished for despite what they say about it not coming true if you do so………he never was one to believe in superstitions. “I wished that whatever my Codie wished for would come true.” He smiled charmingly at her before adding “Which makes the big question, ‘what did you wish for?’”

Moments later Codie’s hands were on his face and he closed his eyes at her touch, leaning softly into her warm hands. She then brought up his I.O.U. for the kiss he had almost given her at the marina only a few short weeks ago yet it felt like it had been an eternity. He didn’t know of what she was at the time and the awful smell of wet dog had all but ruined the moment and successfully prevented him from kissing her. He wouldn’t however let it succeed this time. “That’s one debt I look forward to paying” he said as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear before letting his hand continue to the back of her neck before slowly leaning in closer to her until their lips were merely an inch away, teasingly tempting her for a second longer. Then his lips were upon hers softly and delicately savoring every moment of the sweet embrace. Everything around them seemed to disappear and all that was left was him and her as the warming hand of love rushed through his veins and awakened him to the feeling of true love. Her lips were smooth and soft like the petal of a rose yet much sweeter. They seemed to share one breath as their lips remained locked in their fiery kiss. A soft steam rose from their lips which caused a tingling sensation upon their lips that added to the sizzling romance of the moment. A moment in which he finally had a purpose, he finally believed in hope, he finally found love.

He pried his lips from hers for a moment before running his hand down her jaw line to her chin where he gently lifted her face so he could look into her gorgeous eyes. “I Love You Codie.” He smiled warmly at her as he gazed into those beautiful eyes of her. “The doggy breath and all.” He nudged her playfully at the last part. He was actually surprised at how little the smell bothered him now. He had barely even noticed it despite being so close to her. Unable to resist the magnetic pull any longer he once again pressed his lips to hers; secretly wishing that he could live in this moment forever. They always say that dogs are man’s best friend but in Desmond’s opinion they make one hell of a lover as well.

[Codie Marshall]

She smiled back at him as he told her all he wished for was for her wish to come true before asking her what it was. "I wished..." She paused for a moment in an effort to make him wonder. Codie knew what she had wished for beneath the beautiful starry night above. But she enjoyed playfully teasing Desmond a little bit, "... I wished for us. I want to be with you forever Desmond" she told him truthfully. Now that Codie had finally been reunited with him, the sheer thought of living a life without him made her feel empty inside. Hollow. Like there was a piece of her missing... a very important piece. It was a feeling she never wanted to encounter again. Desmond had stolen her heart and she liked it that way. Codie had grown up not knowing what her family could do until she was regrettably bitten in her early teens by one of her brothers... it was from then on that she was basically brought up to hate vampires. That all they were was a waste of space. The dead that should remain dead. Codie however never believed it, and after meeting her first Vampire, Desmond, she knew they were wrong. He was more than just a walking dead guy to her, he was her life. Without him she knew she'd die.

Codie gently smiled as she watched Desmond close his eyes at the touch of her hand on his face, before he answered her question. With a soft cool touch of his hand she felt him tuck the stray hair that often bugged her out of her face, slowly tracing her skin to the back of her neck. Codie trusted him as she closed her eyes, the thought of what all the werewolves she knew would say to her about trusting a Vampire had popped in a head for a mere second before all she could feel was Desmond's lips upon her own. Codie felt lost in the moment, his lips were ice cold but yet lustful. It was the moment she had been waiting for. Despite how cold Desmond felt, his kiss made her whole body warm up even more.

She felt a wave of excitement rush through her before she felt him move away. Codie kept her eyes closed until she felt Desmond softly tilt her head up to look at him. Opening her eyes she smiled warmly at him... her heart yet skipping another beat as he spoke four beautiful words she didn't expect to hear him say that night. He told her he loved her. It almost brought tears to her eyes. The man of her dreams had just confessed his love for her. " and I love you Desmond" she told him looking straight into his eyes. Codie laughed at what he said about dog breath when he nudged her playfully. It was then that Desmond leaned back in for another passionate kiss. He made her feel more alive, more happy than she had ever been in her entire life. Codie may have been engaged in her earlier years but never had she felt a love as strong as she did with Desmond. To her what she had with her ex was just lust, it wasn't love. What she now had with Desmond was more than that, and in that moment in time she made a vow to herself to never leave Desmond again.

The second time they broke away, Codie wrapped her arms around Desmond's neck as she embraced him. The smell of Vampire was overwhelming but strangely enough was beginning to be slightly comforting for Codie. Whenever she smelt it she instantly thought of Desmond and the fact he was close by. It was like lighting a scented candle for the comfort in your own home, he was the scent of pure beauty to her. Remembering back to her wish, she smiled sweetly at him before asking " so, about that wish of mine... what do you think the chances are of that becoming true?". Codie had wondered what Desmond's thoughts were on their future together... had he thought about a future with her? what would happen when she would slowly but surely age but he would stay the same? It was something Codie didn't like to think about to often. It was impossible for her to live forever like Desmond. She was a wolf and unfortunately with that, came age. Codie gently kissed Desmond's cheek with her warm lips as she awaited his reply.

[*Desmond Everard]

Desmond waited in anticipation as Codie started to say what dream she had asked the stars to make into reality before she abruptly paused to add dramatic tension to the moment. He could hear the drum roll in his head crescendo to a forte until she finally revealed her wish to him. It was for them to forever remain together and Desmond couldn’t have thought of a better wish to ask for. Forever with Codie sounded like heaven to him or at least as close to heaven as a vampire would ever get. He smiled at her with love in his eyes as he spoke. “Then you will be. We’ll be together forever Codie……I promise.” Desmond never made a promise he didn’t keep and this one was no exception. He would never leave Codie for all of eternity and beyond. They would remain in each other’s arms forever and forever would be in love. Nothing could hold him from keeping his word………not even death.

Desmond lied back on the bench bringing Codie with him as he wrapped an arm around her shapely waist. He felt her arms wrap around his neck in a sweet embrace before she had asked him if he believed they had a chance at forever. Desmond had no doubt in his mind that they would love each other forever but he wasn’t going to give chance the credit for it. He never saw much validity in luck and was much fonder of the idea that a person made his own future and was responsible for whatever happened in it. He held Codie closer never wanting to let her go again as he answered her truthfully. “I don’t believe in chance. You have to fight for your dreams Codie. We will be in love like this forever but it won’t be because of chance. We’ll be together because I’m gonna fight like hell to make sure we are.” He gazed up at the stars as he spoke, as if he was vowing this to the universe as well. No smiles or playful grins showed themselves upon his face at this moment. His expression was one of a determined man who was ready to fight any obstacle that got in the way of his love for Codie. The smile returned however when Codie warmed his cheek with a kiss. This moment was everything to him. The future didn’t matter to Desmond. The present by far was more enjoyable to him so why ruin it by worrying of what tomorrow would bring?

It seemed however that tomorrow was not too far away as he realized the sun would be rising soon and he secretly hated it for ending this moment. He would have loved to watch the sunrise with Codie but sunlight plus vampire never equaled anything other than barbecue. He remembered back to when he was just a boy and would watch the sunrise alone as it painted the sky with brilliant shades of red and orange. Of all the things he missed about life he had come to find that it was the small things that left him in a state of nostalgia more than the rest. The memory of how the sun lit the sky so brilliantly and how it felt to feel your heart beat inside your chest, reminding you that you were alive and to feel your blood rushing so warmly through your veins. He was afraid one day he wouldn’t be able to recall these little fragments of life that were alive only in his memory. He kicked himself back to the present and gave Codie one final squeeze before reluctantly speaking. “Sorry love, we have to get going. The sun will be rising soon and sadly I can’t be here to watch it.” He slowly untangled himself from her arms, wanting to drag it out as long as possible without getting a bad case of vampire sunburn. He took her hand in his as they slowly made their way out of the park. Life seemed to start anew for him. It was the first day of their life together. It was the first day of forever.

[Codie Marshall]

As Desmond told her he promised they'd be together forever, she couldn't stop the smile from forming on her face. It was something she felt she could only dream of, to be with him forever. Forever was a long time... but Codie's love for Desmond measured longer. " I'll hold you to that" she told him with a wink despite not really joking at all. She felt like pinching herself to make sure this all wasn't a dream like the ones she'd be having for weeks on end. Ones where Desmond would forgive her and they'd live together in pure harmony. Codie knew she made the right choice in following her heart and coming to England to be with him. She could picture her family right now, worried about her, but she knew they'd be OK... they had each other, much like Codie now had Desmond.

When Desmond pulled her closer to him she looked deeply into his eyes as he spoke about fighting for them, " and I'll be right there beside you" she told him. Letting him know that he wasn't the only one that would fight to keep them together. Codie wasn't the type of girl that was willing to stand back and watch. She'd fight for Desmond until the end of time. She'd protect him from her own kind to keep him safe... even if that meant killing. She kept her focus on him as she watched him gaze up at the stars. It was the first time she'd ever seen Desmond so serious and she loved him for it. The very fact that no matter what happened, he'd be there for her. It was after all, what true love was about and for once in her life Codie was glad she didn't give up on it.

She watched Desmond in admiration wondering what he was thinking at that particular moment. It didn't occur to her that the sun was due to come up until he mentioned it to her, slowly he removed her arms from around his neck, taking her hand in his. "That's ok Desmond, I understand" Codie couldn't help but feel bad for Desmond not getting to see the sunrise. It was much like herself, it'd been years since Codie had ever seen a full moon through her human eyes. Looking up at the night sky was something she always enjoyed doing, and it had never been the same without the beautiful blue shine of a full moon highlighting everything around her. As Desmond rose from the bench, Codie followed pursuit. Her hand still holding his tightly as they walked out of the park, she gently allowed her free hand to touch Desmond's arm that held her hand, before resting her head against him in an attempt to give him a quick hug as they walked. She was rather tired after such a long trip getting there and spending all night with Desmond under the stars, but she wasn't complaining. She couldn't think of a better way to end a perfect night except starting a new one the same way. With the man she loved. At that point in time Codie didn't know where they were going, but she didn't care. No matter where it was, as long as Desmond was with her. She was happy.